Mechanical timing unit



Sept. 19, 1961 P. H. MORGANSON MECHANICAL TIMING UNIT 2 Sheets-Shset 1 Filed June 20, 1956 w a m @M 9 (6 4 4 1 7 a A .1 m bw/ 4 9 w/ Sept. 19, 1961 P. H. MORGANSON MECHANICAL TIMING UNIT Filed June 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. P6767. f/Ma #1750 BY Wm M Emmy/ I 3,000,468 MECHAENI AL TIMING UNIT Peter H. Morganson, Winsted, Conm, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Filed June 20, 1956, Ser. No. 592,694 3 Claims. (Cl. 185-39) The invention relates to a spring-driven timing mechanism capable of delivering relatively large amounts of torque and having a detachable winding mechanism.

Spring motors are known in the art Which deliver large torque outputs, and there are many different types of winding mechanisms including electrical winding mechanisms which are designed for use with clockwork mechanisms. Also there are innumerable diiferent types of escapement mechanisms for timing clockwork mechanisms. However, not mechanism is known in the art of the type and utility of applicants claimed mechanism.

It is another object of this invention to provide a lightweight and efficient mechanical timing unit having adjustable speed and having a suflicient torque output to directly drive auxiliary control equipment, switches and the like.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanical timing unit having an improved detachable electrical winding mechanism which allows an electric motor, used in winding the unit, to be used for other functions except when it is actually being used to wind the unit.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a mechanical timing unit having an improved, eflicient and dependable winding safety mechanism to prevent overwinding of the unit by the electrical winding mechanism.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description of the invention proceeds.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the timing unit;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the timing unit showing the upper portion of the device and omitting the lower portion for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom view of the timingunit show ing the lower portion of the device and omitting the upper portion for clarity;

FIG. 4 is a view of the timing train showing in detail the relationship of the various elements;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4 showing the escapement arm and parts immediately adjacent thereto;

FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the pawl and pin assembly, the associated ratchet wheel and the operating spring associated with the pawl arm;

FIG. 7 is a detailed view of the cam assembly of the winding safety mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 showing further details of the cam assembly; and

FIG. 9 is a' partial end view of the unit showing the winding train in detail associated with the drum on which it winds the mainspring.

Driving mechanism The support for the unit is frame 10. This frame includes all the various spacers and intermediate and outer plates making up the supports for the various portions of the unit. Drum 11 holding the mainspring 15 in its natural equilibrium condition is journaled on shaft 12 which issupported by frame 10. Shaft 13 has journaled thereon 14,0n whichthe mainspring 15 is wound United States Patent 0 i Patented Sept. 19, 1961 y 2 in reverse direction to the direction that it is wound. on drum 11 leaving only a short section of the spring free to flex at any one time thereby releasing only that portion of the total retained force which is stored in the flexing to gear 18 and this pawl functions with ratchet 16 which is fixed to shaft 13. This ratchet and pawl arrangement allows drum 14 to turn independently of shaft 13 when it is being turned to wind the mainspring thereon but forces shaft 13 to turn with drum 14 when the mainspring is unwinding from the drum. Shaft 13 is the output shaft of the unit and this shaft can deliver of the order of 3 inch-ounces or more of torque when rotating at 1 r.p.m. when using a unit and components of the order of the size shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3. This torque output is several times that which could be delivered by the usua clockwork mechanism.

Timing train The timing train of the unit is shown in detail in FIG. 4, but reference should also be made to FIGS. 1 and 3. Gear 30 fixed to shaft 13 communicates drum 14 with the timing train. Gear 30 meshes with pinion 31 of shaft 34. Gear 32 fixed to shaft 34 meshes with pinion 33 of shaft 35. Gear 36 fixed to shaft 35 meshes with pinion 38 of shaft 37, and shaft 37 is fixed to the gear 39 which cooperates with the escapement mechanism of the unit.

Shaft 40 supports escapement lever 41 which is fixed thereto. Details of the escapement lever are shown in FIG. 5. Escapement lever 41 has pins 42 which operate with the teeth of gear 39. Arms 43 of the escapement lever partially encircle shaft 40 and help guide and limit the movement of the escapement lever. On the other end of escapement lever 41 is a slot 44. Slot 44 contains pin 47 which is fixed to balance bar 48. Balance bar 48 is fixed to shaft 45 which has associated therewith balance spring 9. Shaft 45 has a milled-out portion 46 therein ment lever 41 operates. Spring 49 is fixed to shaft 45 and stud 50 which is attached to frame 10.

Means are provided for adjusting the tension of spring 49 and so the oscillating speed of balance bar 48. Collar 51 is rotatably attached to frame 10, gear 52 is fixed to collar 51, and worm 54 meshes with gear 52 and is journaled in bearing bracket 53. The communication of the spring tension or speed adjustment means with the spring is by arm 56 which is fixed to collar 51 and slotted arm 55 which is rigidly attached to arm 56. The sensitivity of the timing mechanism is quite high. Spring 49 is passed through the slot in arm 55 near the end of the spring attached to stud 50. Movement of arm 55 toward or away from stud 50 changes the point of suspension of one end of spring 49 and so effectively the tension in the spring. This change in spring tension of course changes the oscillating frequency of the balance bar. By manually causing a turning of worm 54, gear 52 is turned and arm 56 is moved to change the position of slotted arm 55. The balance bar can be set to operate, e.g., at 30 cycles/ second with a high degree of accuracy.

Winding train The winding train is supported by shaft 60, and sleeve 61 on shaft 60 positions the winding train correctly with port 64. Shaft 65 supports planet gears 66 and 67 which are fixed to the shaft. Planet gear 66 meshes with sun gear63. Adjacent the other side of the planet support, sun gear 68 is journaled on shaft 60, and this sun gear ineshes with the other planet gear 67. Pinion gears 104 and 69 are fixed to sun gear 68 and these pinion gears are iournaled on shaft 60. Pinion gear 69 meshes with gear 18 tojcommunicate the winding train with drum 14 for thewinding operation;

Reference should be made particularly to FIG. 6. In this figure is shown the pawl and pin means associated with ratchet 62. Pawl 70 is supported by pawl arm 71 which is rotatably attached to frame by pin 74. As .anextension of pawl arm 71, pin arm 72 extends in the opposite direction from pin 74, and located near the free end of arm 72 is pin 73. Spring 75 is connected to frame 10 by pin 76 and to pawl arm 71 by inserting one bent Tend portion through aperture 77. This spring tends to "hold pawl 70 in engagement with ratchet 62.

'When shaft 60 is turned for the winding operation as 'by an electric motor (not shown) with pawl 70 engaged with ratchet 62, ratchet 62 is prevented by the pawl from turning. Then as shaft60 rotates, planet support 64 also rotates. Since sun gear 63 cannot rotate, planet gears 66 and 67 rotate with their shaft as well as migrate around shaft 60. This forces sun gear 68 to rotate and thus pinion gears 104 and 69 which are fixed to gear 68. Pinion gear 69 is inmesh with gear 18 forcing the rotation of gear 18 to rotate drum 14 and cause the main spring to be wound up thereon.

, a When pawl 70 is disengaged from ratchet 62, ratchet 62 "is free to turn. Therefore, when shaft 60 is rotated for .the winding operation, ratchet 62 is caused to rotate by the engagement of sun gear 63 with planet gear 66, since sun gear 63 is fixed to ratchet 62, and sun gear 68 is not forced to rotate nor are pinion gears 104 and 69 which are fixed to sun gear 68. Consequently no winding of spring on drum 14 occurs in this instance. Also sun ,gear 68 and pinion gears 104 and 69 can rotate as a result of the turning of drum 14 as a result of main spring action to unwind from the drum. This rotation of these gears is in the opposite direction to that which they turn when themain spring is being wound on drum 14. When the main spring is unwinding from drum 14 gear 18 turning therewith causes pinion gear 69 with which it is in mesh 'to rotate. Pinion gear 69 being fixed to sun gear 68 causes this gear to rotate along with pinion gear 104 which is also fixed to sun gear "68.

Coritro'lsolenoid i A jsolenoid 80 having a rotatable armature 83, is in- =tegrally involved in the automatic winding operation. {This solenoid is of the type manufactured by the Oak -Mfg."Co. under license from G. H. Leland, Inc. and is -sup'orted from frame 10 suitably by supports 82 and has electrical leads 81 furnishing power to the solenoid. Arm-ature 83 of the solenoid has, spring 84 wound around the armature and fixed by one end thereto. Spring 84 is also suitably fixed-by the other end to one of the solenoid supports "'82 and the spring tends to turn the armature in a-directionopposne to that which the solenoid turns the "armature. "Attached near the end of the armature is collar 85 which supports solenoid arms 86 and 87. Arm 86 contacts pin 73 due to the action of spring 84, in such a fashionthat pawl :70 is-disengaged from ratchet 62 when the solenoid is deactivated. Arm 87 is held out of engagement with balance 'bar48'bythe solenoid spring when the solenoid is deactivated. p t

L When the solenoid is activated by connecting the electrica1; leads 81 to a suitable power source (not shown), itj overpowers spring 84 and arm 86 is removed from engagementwith pin 73. Spring 75 associated with pawl farm; 71 then brings pawl 70 into engagement with ratchet "62 wl1ichjsjournaled to "shaft ?60 thereby stopping the rotation-er ratchet '62"during the winding operation. Also with the solenoid in an activated condition, arm 87 is brought into engagement with balance bar 48 preventing the balance bar from oscillating and holding the balance bar in a stressed condition, so when the bar is later released upon deactivationof the solenoid, it will immediately begin oscillating again. If the motor "(not shown) used to wind the main spring on drum 14 were run {con tinuously largely for other than windinguses, then the finger 93 which is connected to arm 92 by pin 94 fixed to arm 92 and operating within the forked endof finger 93. Finger 93 is journaled on bushing '95 which is fixed to shaft 90. Also journaled on bushing 95 is cam 96. Cam spring 97 is wound around bushing95 between finger 93 and cam '96, and spring 97 is fixed to cam arm 92 by extending one free end of the spring through an opening in the arm. Likewise spring 97 is fixed to cam 96 by extending the other free end of the spring through an opening in the cam. The spring member of the cam assembly is provided so that disengagement of pawl 70 from ratchet 62 is positive and rapid. Gear 98 which is fixed to bushing 91 which is fixed to shaft 90 communicates the cam assembly via a gear train with the winding gear train.

Gear 98 meshes with pinion 100 on shaft 99. Gear 101 fixed to shaft 99 meshes with pinion shaft 102. Fixed to v this pinion shaft is gear 103 which meshes with pinion 104 of the winding safety mechanism as the winding train is turned to wind the mainspring on drum 14. The winding safety mechanism is operated to rotate cam 96 toward engagement with pawl arm 71 when the mainspring is being wound on drum 14. When mainspring 15 is completely wound on drum 14, cam 96 comes into engagement with pawl arm 71 to lift pawl 70 from engagement with ratchet 62, thereby the winding train is detached from winding the mainspring on drum 14. When the mainspring is unwinding from drum 14 during the running of the unit, cam 96 is rotated away from engagement with pawl arm 71. Whether being rotated towardcontact with pawl arm 71 or away from contact with arm 71, pawl 96 makes less than one complete revolution due to the relative gearing arranged in the unit.

Although the invention has been described in terms of specified apparatus which is set forth in considerable detail, it should be understood that this is by way of illustration only and that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, since alternative embodiments and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the disclosure. Accordingly, modifications are contemplated which can be made without depanting from the spirit of the described invention or of the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mechanical timing unit comprising a frame, a drum journaled in said frame, a shaft journaled in said frame, a second drum journaled on said shaft, a gear fixed to said second drum, a mainspring one end of which is fixed to said first drum and the other end of which is fixed to said second drum, said spring being in equilibrium when wound on said first drum and being stressed by winding in reverse direction on said second drum so the spring will tend to unwind from the second drum and wind up on the first drum, a ratchet and pawl arrangement for releasing the second drum to rotate freely on said shaft when said second drum is being rotated to wind said springthereon; a timing train supported-by 'said frame comprising an escapement means to control the rate at which said spring unwinds from said second drum, 9, balance bar as a part of said escapement means, an adjustable balance spring for controlling the oscillating frequency of said balance bar and a winding train supported by said frame comprising a second shaft journaled in said frame, a second ratchet journaled on said second shaft, a sun gear fixed to said second ratchet, a planet support fixed to said second shaft, a third shaft journaled in said planet support, a planet gear fixed tosaid third shaft and meshed with said sun gear, a second planet gear fixed to said third shaft, a second sun gear journaled on said second shaft and meshed with said second planet gear, a pinion gear fixed to said second sun gear and meshed with the gear fixed to said second drum, a second pawl and pin means journaled on said frame, a second spring attached to said frame and urging said second pawl into engagement with said second ratchet; and a solenoid attached to said frame, said solenoid having a rotatable armature, a third spring attached to the solenoid and the armature of said solenoid, a first arm fixed to the armature of said solenoid, a second arm fixed to the armature of said solenoid, said third spring holding said second arm out of contact with said balance bar allowing the unit to run and holding said first arm against the pin of the second pawl and pin means to disengage the second pawl from the second ratchet preventing rewinding of the mainspring when the solenoid is deactivated, and when said solenoid is activated said first arm being removed from contact with said pin allowing said second pawl to engage said second ratchet so said mainspring can be rewound and said second arm being forced into engagement with said balance bar preventing the balance bar from oscillating and holding the balance bar in a position such that said balance spring is in tension so the balance bar will begin oscillating when released.

2. The unit of claim 1 wherein means including a worm and gear arrangement are provided to vary the oscillating frequency of said balance bar by correspondingly varying the active length of said balance spring and thereby control the rate at which said mainspring unwinds from said second drum.

3. The unit of claim 1 wherein a winding safety mechanism is used to prevent overwinding said mainspring, said mechanism comprising cam means journaled in said second frame to lift said pawl from engagement with said second ratchet when said mainspring is fully wound on said second drum preventing overwinding, a second pinion gear fixed to said second sun gear of said winding train, and a gear train connecting said cam means and said second pinion gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 248,050 Miller Oct. 11, 1881 1,191,525 Mazer July 18, 1916 1,299,116 Bryce Apr. 1, 1919 1,440,634 Seabolt Jan. 2, 1923 1,730,674 Mettler Oct. 8, 1929 1,895,787 COWIES Jan. 31, 1933 1,952,030 Korfhage Mar. 20, 1934 2,622,700 Geyer Dec. 23, 1952 2,833,027 Foster May 6, 1958 

